Collision theory question?

Question

A chemical reaction may occur when molecules of reactants collide together. Explain why it is that, at a given temperature, only a certain proportion of molecules react together on collision.

Thank you

Answer 1

For a reaction to occur, the particles collide with each other to produce energy and that determines the how fast or slow the reaction takes place. At any given temperature,the collision is proportional to the temperature.the more intense the temperature,the more collisions occur.hence at a lower temperature, a little or no collision may occur.
Note that,collision breaks down the bonds and components of the particles for a reaction to take place.
Ex. melting sugar.The lower the temperature or heat applied,the smaller the amount of sugar granules melt.Only the sugar granules at the bottom closest to the heat ,which is the hottest as compared to the heat reaching the sugar granules on the top melt.so as you increase the heat or temp,more sugar granules melt.

Answer 2

Well as you probably know, as the temperature goes up the more energy a molecule has. As the energy level goes up it normally makes it easier for the two chemicals to react.

Also, molecules even if they are the same chemical makeup don't have the exact same mass. When they give the atomic mass on the periodic table that is an average of the atomic weight for that element. If you had 100 molecules of say carbon dioxide (CO2) for instance, and you could somehow weigh each molecule you will have some that weigh more and some that weigh a little less. The way that the weight of the molecule is come up is by using the average. The average will typically always be about the same. Depending on the slight difference in weights of the molecules certain ones will tend to react faster.

Think of the molecules as two pots of water. One pot holds slightly more water. The pots are exactly the same and they are heated up exactly the same. Think of the boiling point as being the point where the reaction occurs. Both pots of water are being heated the same, but because one is holding more water (there's more mass, it weighs more) it will take slightly longer to get it to boil.

Another reason might be due to which molecules actualy are able to collide and which ones are not. Like the pot of water only the water molecules on the top are going to be the ones that can evaporate. If you go to a wider shallower pan instead of a taller narrower one you increase the surface area and the water can evaporate quicker. It's going to take a while for all of those molecules to be able to collide because the mixture has to mix. Air mixes when you let a fart and it takes a while before the air mixes enough so that you smell it.

That proportion could probably be raised or lowered by how well you mix the solution.

Answer 3

The colliding reactant molecules must have sufficient relative kinetic energy so that they surmount the energy barrier and also molecules must be properly oriented only then products will be formed.